Embrace Life
This magazine is a happy place. And we like it that way.
But occasionally, life isn’t like that. Last month, our family said goodbye to a close friend, Tina Hanks, who lost a second battle with cancer. It was a sad time for us, and even more so for her husband, Bryan.
Bryan is the guy that trained me on my first full-time newspaper job. He’s one of the first people I told about this magazine, and he helped me proof the very first one. It was a real downer.
Randy Capps randy@fouroaksjournal.com
I bring this up, not to depress you, but to share a lesson I’ve learned from Tina.
A lot of tough things happened this year. I’ve been challenged professionally, personally and spiritually. I’ve made plans, changed them, then changed them again. But every time I was tempted to throw a pity party, I thought of Tina.
Tina lived life wide open. She loved the beach, and had enough close friends to crowd out a good-sized backyard at her memorial service.
But most of all, she didn’t spend time complaining. She spent time living.
And that’s what we should do. Embrace life. Hug the ones you love. Cherish life’s moments of wonder, and try to learn from the tough times.
Above all, live life fully. Because tomorrow is not assured.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
South Johnston High School names new athletic director
South Johnston High assistant boys’ basketball coach Brody Massengill has been named the school’s new athletic director.
“I was born and raised in the Trojan community. As a former athlete of South Johnston, I am a product of great coaches who helped mentor me and instill the qualities of teamwork, sportsmanship and pride in my school and community,” said Massengill. “I am excited to work with the students, coaches and community to make the Trojan athletic program the best it can be.”
Massengill graduated from South Johnston High School in 2007. He attended Fayetteville State University where he obtained a degree in Health and Physical Education. He and his wife, Mary Beth, reside in Benson.
During the 2014-2015 season, he helped lead the boys basketball team to the state playoffs for the first time in five years.
“Brody has and will continue to do a great job for South Johnston High School,” said Dr. David Pearce, SJHS principal. “I am sure he will carry the Trojan athletic department to the next level.”
Submitted by Johnston County Schools High
Brody Massengill (right) stands with Principal David Pearce after being named the new athletic director for South Johnston High School.
South Johnston makes trip to Cooperstown
South Johnston was the second area team this summer to play in Cooperstown, New York. In 12U tournament pool play at Cooperstown Dreams Park from Aug. 7-14, the team finished 27th out of 104 teams in pool play. In one three-game span, the team belted 22 home runs. After an opening round win in the elimination bracket, the team fell to a squad from Northern California. Team members are, left to right, coach Raylon Wood Jr. and coach Chris Carroll, Chase Carroll, Patrick Allen, Eli Culbreth, Cole Winborne, Luke Roberts, Ethan Weaver, Parker Wood, Sawyer Sutton, DJ Carter, Nolan Blackmon, AJ Byrd, coach Will Blackmon and coach Buck Weaver.
Submitted by Jenny Wood
KS Bank has added Trust Services to KS Wealth Management Services. With this addition, KS Bank now offers a fully integrated package of financial solutions to meet the needs of those with modest or considerable assets.
Our Wealth Management team members are (left to right) Jim Watts, Senior Portfolio Manager; Nikki Murray, Wealth Management Assistant; Matt Keen, Wealth Consultant; Roger Thomas, Senior Wealth Consultant; and Tim Britt, Chief Wealth Officer.
Photo credit: Shasta Culbreth
Fire Department gears up for annual celebration
The Four Oaks Volunteer Fire Department has held a Fireman’s Day dinner fundraiser since the mid-1970s – first to build the current station on Keen Street and since to help fund the day-to-day operation of the department.
It’s a tradition that’s set to continue on Saturday, Oct. 3.
“It’s basically evolved into a fundraiser for the fire department,” Four Oaks Volunteer Fire Department Chief Barry Stanley said. “We have a dinner and a raffle. It started in 1974 to build this building. There used to be a parade, but the supper got so big, they had to scale that down.”
Stanley expects to sell around 2,000 plates – with servings so generous that it often makes more than one meal. Not
surprisingly, it takes a small army to pull that off.
“If it wasn’t all volunteer, it wouldn’t make any money,” Stanley said. “We have churches in the community that help out. They’re people that always help. We’ve got 70-plus people, not counting wives and families, that put this thing on. I don’t know how restaurants do it.”
The department will be serving lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fried chicken, barbecue, Brunswick Stew and veggies are on the menu, and Stanley invites folks to eat-in or take out.
“We’ll have things for the kids,” Stanley said. “We’ll display equipment and things like that. We’ll be here all day.”
In addition to the dinner, the department is holding its fifthannual raffle. At press time, tickets were still available at $20 each.
“The intention is to try to keep the taxes down,” Stanley said of fundraising efforts. “If we didn’t (try to raise money), we have to raise the tax rate two cents to offset it. And (the raffle and dinner) brings in a lot of money from outside the district, so people that live here don’t have to pay as much (to support the department.) And it keeps us in the community. That’s as big a part of it as anything.”
For more information, call 919-963-2039 or email fouroaksfiredept@yahoo.com.
October 3rd • 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. $8 per plate, eat-in or take-out
Fried chicken, barbecue, Brunswick Stew and vegetables
50/50 raffles will be held throughout the day, 5th annual Fireman’s Day Giveaway drawings from 5-7 p.m.
Johnston County Walk to End Alzheimer’s set for Barbour’s Grove Park on Oct. 10
Most of us know someone that has dealt with the affects of Alzheimer’s. It’s a disorder without a cure, and it’s symptoms can leave families feeling helpless and struggling to cope.
On Saturday, Oct. 10, you can make a difference by joining the Johnston County Walk to End Alzheimer’s at Barbour’s Grove Park in Four Oaks.
The event, sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association, raised more than $25,000 last year in Smithfield – money put to good use by the organization.
“The Alzheimer’s Association is the largest voluntary health organization dedicated to care, support and research for those with Alzheimer’s and their families.” Lisa Roberts, Executive Director of the Eastern North Carolina Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, said. “Basically, what the American Cancer Society does for cancer, we do for Alzheimer’s.”
So, what exactly is Alzheimer’s, you might be wondering?
“Alzheimer’s is a degenerative brain disorder that disrupts your daily life,” Roberts said. “If you think about it, all of us have normal age-related memory loss. However, Alzheimer’s is very severe in the sense that it affects not just your memories, but your logic, your planning, your everyday activites.
“Things that were routine before, like driving to the store or driving to church – if you’ve been going to the same church for 30 years and all of a sudden you can’t remember how to get there – that indicates that there might be a severe problem.”
For Dale O’Neill, the walk’s co-chair, the fight against Alzheimer’s is far more personal.
Her mother, Gladys Adams, suffered from the disorder for years before her death in 2013. She shared her story about using doll therapy to help her mother cope in a book, “Chicken Soup for the Soul: Living with Alzheimer’s & Other Dementias.”
“My deepest desire for the rest of the world that’s never experienced Alzheimer’s is that they never have to,”
O’Neill said. “It is the cruelest disease in the world. It takes away everything. Other diseases may take away your ability to walk or the ability to maneuver or to eat the things that you would like. But this disease takes everything, including your memory. Your sense of propriety. Everything that makes a person who he or she is.
“The walk is about raising funds, and it’s about looking for a cure, but in the meantime, it’s very much about providing care for those people who are experiencing it right now.”
Whether Alzheimer’s has directly impacted your life or not, it’s a fight worth taking up.
“Because it’s the sixth leading cause of death and our greatest risk factor is age, everyone has a reason to see the end of Alzheimer’s,” Roberts said. “And if it hasn’t touched your family yet, you’re very, very fortunate.”
“I have a four-year-old granddaughter that my mother never got to know,” O’Neill said. “She would have been the love of her life if she could have known that little girl was her great-granddaughter. I don’t think she ever realized that child had any connection to her. But she walks in the walk. She’s an Alzheimer’s advocate, and my biggest hope is that she never has to experience that with anyone that she loves. Or experience the disease herself.”
Updates, improvements made to Arboretum at Johnston Community College
You’ve probably driven by the Arboretum at Johnston Community College on East Market Street in Smithfield plenty of times without really giving it much thought. Earlier this year, you might have noticed that it wasn’t in the best possible condition. In May, Jordan Astoske, Director of Howell Woods Environmental Learning Center, was given the responsibility of changing that.
“When I started at JCC, I started out at the arboretum as the gardener,” he said. “The arboretum has undergone some changes in the past few months, so they’ve allowed me to come on site under my direction to try to make some changes.”
One of those new initiatives – not surprisingly – was to make the place look a bit better.
“Our biggest goal has been to make the arboretum site more aesthetically pleasing,” he said. “Get things cleaned up, get this building suitable to hold JCC classes and just turn the grounds into a place where the community feels welcome.”
The facility is open every day from sunrise to sunset, and a walk around the gardens behind the building is all it takes to
see Astoske’s ideas for improving the site taking shape.
“They can come out and view ornamental plant species that can be found growing in our area,” he said. “So they can see examples of how it should be planted and what it should look like. If they have questions about pests or disease, they can
come out and ask us for any advice.”
The Arboretum at Johnston Community College also serves as host for a charitable organization, Plant a Row for the Hungry, where volunteers learn how to garden as they help feed the hungry in the community.
“The arboretum provides as much support for them as we can, but they’re kind of an independent group,” he said. “They manage and raise their gardens and they average about 50 pounds a week, and all that goes to local food banks and pantries.”
According to Astoske, there’s even more planned for the future.
“We hope that this facility turns into a place for birthday parties, corporate meetings, family reunions and, one day, our ultimate goal would be to have a wedding out here,” he said. “The grounds have come a long way, and hopefully in the next couple of years we can make it a venue.”
For more on the arboretum, call (919) 209-2517 or visit them online at www.johnstoncc.edu/arboretum.
GO OUTSIDE
Environmental Education & Exploration
Our Kids are Back in Class!
Kayleigh Peppers on her first day of second grade.
Photo credit: Samantha Peppers
Joey Gibson, left, and Rylan O’Branovich pose before their first day of preschool at Kids Academy.
Photo credit: Beverly Gibson
Jaxson Godwin on the first day of third grade at Four Oaks Elementary.
Photo credit: Suzanne Godwin
Gracelyn Britt started kindergarten, but not without some brotherly love from seventh grader Christopher Britt, Jr.
Photo credit: Jennifer Britt
October 3, 9 a.m.
Johnston County Football League
Four Oaks at Corinth Holders
October 3, 9 a.m.
Fireman’s Day Celebration
Four Oaks Volunteer Fire Department, Keen Street
The department will hold its annual lunch and dinner, as well as the fifth-annual Fireman’s Day Giveaway. Please see the announcement on page 7.
October 9, 8 p.m.
Four Oaks Fire Department
Family Movie Night
Barbour’s Grove Park, Four Oaks - Come out to this free movie in the park. Popcorn and refreshments will be sold. For more information, call the Four Oaks Area Chamber of Commerce at (919) 963-4004 or email info@fouroaksareachamber.com.
October 9, 7:30 p.m.
High School Football
Western Harnett at South Johnston
October 10, 8 a.m.
Johnston Community College Live 5K
Zombie Walk/Run
Proceeds from the JCC LIVE 5K Zombie Walk/Run will go to support the JCC Live student organization to achieve their goals of attending various student media conventions, college visits, and more. Cost: $20 for 1-mile event, $30 for 5 and 10K and ages 7 and under can run the Jagger Dash for free. For more, email jcclive@mail.johnstoncc.edu.
October 10, 9 a.m.
Johnston County Football League
Wake Forest at Four Oaks (at Four Oaks Middle)
October 10, 10 a.m.
2015 Walk to End Alzheimer’s
Barbour’s Grove Park, Four Oaks
Take a stroll through Four Oaks in an effort to fight Alzheimer’s Disease.
To register, visit bit.ly/1eYl06k. Or, for more information, call Lisa Roberts at (919) 803-8285.
October 15, 6:30 p.m.
White Swan Concert Series Barbour’s Grove Park, Four Oaks
Come out and listen to the Backporch String Band in the park. White Swan Bar-B-Q and Fried Chicken will have trays on sale for $6. For more information, call the Four Oaks Area Chamber of Commerce at (919) 963-4004 or email info@fouroaksareachamber.com.
October 16, 7:30 p.m.
High School Football
South Johnston at Cleveland
October 17, 3 to 7 p.m.
Cruise In
Main Street, Four Oaks - View classic cars and spend some time on Main Street in Four Oaks. For more information, call the Four Oaks Area Chamber of Commerce at (919) 963-4004 or email info@fouroaksareachamber.com.
October 17, 9 a.m.
Johnston County Football League
Four Oaks at Rolesville
October 23, 7:30 p.m.
High School Football
Triton at South Johnston
October 24, 6 a.m. until Town-wide yard sale, Four Oaks Spaces available at the Farmer’s Market. For more information, call the Four Oaks Area Chamber of Commerce at (919) 963-4004 or email info@fouroaksareachamber.com.
October 24, 9 a.m.
Johnston County Football League
North Johnston at Four Oaks (at Four Oaks Middle)
October 27, 5 to 7 p.m.
Ladies Night Out, Johnston Health, Clayton
A free, fun, and educational evening focused on women’s health. In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, doctors and staff will be offering information, advice and screenings to help women of all ages take control of their health. For more, visit johnstonhealth.org.
October 30, 7:30 p.m.
High School Football
Corinth Holders at South Johnston
October 30, 11 a.m.
Clothing Closet and Food Pantry
Four Oaks Farmers Market
For details, contact John Jernigan at Lighthouse Christian Fellowship at (919) 320-7387.
October 31, 9 a.m.
Johnston County Football League
Four Oaks at Princeton
October 31, 6 to 8 p.m.
Halloween, Four Oaks
Don’t forget to say, “trick or treat.”
November 6, 7:30 p.m.
High School Football
South Johnston at Smithfield-Selma
November 10, 4 to 8 p.m.
Explore, Sip & Shop, Downtown Four Oaks
Take a tour of downtown businesses and discover what shopping locally in Four Oaks has to offer. For more information, call the Four Oaks Area Chamber of Commerce at (919) 963-4004 or email info@fouroaksareachamber.com.
November 27, 11 a.m.
Clothing Closet and Food Pantry
Four Oaks Farmers Market
For details, contact John Jernigan at Lighthouse Christian Fellowship at (919) 320-7387.
Local insurance done the right way
There are plenty of choices when it comes to insurance – and plenty of companies eager to sell it to you.
According to the commercials on TV, you can buy insurance from a gecko, cartoon characters or a talking cardboard box.
Or, if you’re looking for a simpler solution, you can drive into Four Oaks and drop by Lee Insurance Agency on South Railroad Street.
You probably won’t find a Hollywood actor, but you will find a locally owned and operated company that’s celebrating its seventh anniversary this month.
“When I started out, I was by myself,” the owner, Carrie Lee, said. “We had zero customers the day we opened, and now we have almost 800. So, the business has grown a lot.
“When I first opened, I had another agent tell me, ‘don’t open in Four Oaks because it’s such a small town. You won’t have any customers, you won’t be successful.’ But I’ve been very successful here. The community’s great. We really love it here.”
These days, Lee shares the office with Miranda Bailey, who primarily handles auto insurance customers, and Michael Naquin, a commercial insurance agent. That leaves the owner to focus on her specialty – homeowners insurance.
Lee moved to the area in 2004 with her husband, Tim, and she believes that immersion in the community, and an understanding of its culture, gives her company insight on how to better serve its customers.
“We do know the community. We know the area,” she said. “We
understand what customers need in Johnston County. Not only that, but myself and my employees give the best customer service possible. We’re going to be honest with you. If we can’t beat the price you’ve got with your insurance, we’re going to tell you. But price isn’t everything.”
Usually, Lee’s rates are very competitive – a fact she credits to her status as an independent agent.
“The beauty of being an independent agent … is we have over 30 different companies that we shop with, so we can shop around and find the best price and coverage for the customer.”
